The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-05
A TALENTED STREET MINSTREL
Who Ought to Have the World at his
Feet.

Feet
NEW York June A few DAYS ago.
calling on friend in West Thirty-fourth
street. a well-known and eminent artist, I
had great musical treat that took me COM
pletely by surprise. Mr.. Gedney. that ex-
o,,isite pianist, had been entertaining us
with one of Schunan's dreamy fantaisis;
Harry Hilhard, the handsome young tenor,
was standing by the piano, hat in hand,
about starting for his mighty visit to Phar-
oah and his court, when one of the grandest
voices have ever heard, high baritone,
sweet, powerful and sympathetic, rang
forth, filing and overfowing the tranquil
eventide with a wonderful stream of har-
mony. We hurried to the front stoop and
saw the singer on the opposite side of the
way, with crowd of young arabs at his
heels. and an organ on which he was play
ing his accompaniment; neither more nor
less, to all appearance, than acommon stroll
ling vagabond.
.FKisnaet,n exclaimed, ''some people are
born to miss their destiny, and this man
must be case in point. He is great ar
fist and ought to have the world at his
feet
Mr.. Hillard listened for some time with
out a word, absorbed in silent admiration.
s'That is a voice. indeed, he said at last with
a deep drawn sigh, land what grand stylel
What breadth and freedom! The fellow
must be an Italian; anyhow, he had studied
in Italy; he has the pure Italian method"
Song succeeded song in rapid succession,
each better than the last. We were in &C.
stasies. Finally, out of consideration for
his own public, Mr.. Hilliard had to tear him
self away regretfully: and soon after pleas
ant. intelligent-lo looking woman, presumably
the artists wife, made the rounds and
gathered in the spoils. I drew her aside and,
-I,,b ae %ol
new star, made sure of his name and adj
dress.
Off they went, but we could talk of moth
ing else for the balance of the evening
Who was this gifted vagabond9 Where had
he come frome With that voice why had
he consented to remain hidden in oblivionl
If unable to fight his own battles, how was
it that he had not been brought forward by
some admiring friend or enterprising specu-
lator? We were quite in the mind to Or
ganize some philantrophic scheme on his be-
half-the man with that voice must be looked
after and put through in proper form. I'm
happily, another visitor dropped in just
then who chilled our enthusiasm by declar-
that our unknown genius whom he seemed
to know all about, was blind, wore goggles
and was altogether rude and boorish; an
ignorant vagabond on whom a splendid
voice had been thrown away by mistake
He laughed at the idea of his treading the
operatic stage. ltwas out OF the question,
simply because he was SO unpresentable
that no manager could be fonnd who
would permit him to make an appear
ance.
This was all very discouraging, but,
nevertheless, remembering the mans voice
and manner, sailed forth the next day to
find out the truth for myself, and succeeded
without much trouble in hunting him down
in a little shop of musical instruments, kept
by manned veteran, a fine old soldier
whose face was a study-not at all an I'M
suitable resort, it occurred to me, for blind
bard out of suits with fortune.
Il have Gomez l said, ''to look for a man
who goes about the streets singing. And
YOU, presume, are the man. This | added
& on catching an eye of an individual who
was coming from behind the counter to
s meet me.
Eyes, I am the mani" he answered, with
merry laugh, in capital English, tapping,
as if to prove his indenity, the hand organ